Tiger Woods: Olympian?

[Armchair_QB]

IOC Executive Board recommends adding golf and rugby sevens to the Olympic program beginning in 2016.



http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/32375629/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Rugby could be good... Golf? No...

Tennis at the Olympics sucks... Basketball has sucked in every Olympics since 1992.

NBC is just looking for another way to boost ratings.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Golf and rugby are also pretty cheap sports to add to the program. Every major city in the world has dozens of golf courses and rugby can be played in a soccer stadium. You don't need to build anything. Plus, I think they would both add fewer athletes than any of the other sports up for consideration.

Baseball and softball are almost always going to require building new venues unless the Games are in the U.S. or Japan. I doubt squash, roller skating and karate had a legitimate shot of getting in.

Rugby's chances weren't hurt by the fact Jacques Rogge is a former rugby player either.

Story also says women's boxing will be added in 2012.

 

[Huggy]

The only Olympic gold medal for golf resides over the bar in the Rosedale Golf Club in Toronto:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/golf/article/680456

 

[Armchair_QB]

Wasn't golf a demonstration sport in 1984?

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Wouldn't there have to be an exception for TW and FIGJAM to be Olympians, since they are pros?
The Olympics - on the U.S. side anyway - has traditionally been for amatuers, the exception : being basketball.
I have/had a problem with us sending NBAers to the Olympics.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

7s will be a hit in the Olympics.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

7s will be a hit in the Olympics.

Pun intended?

 

[Armchair_QB]

Wouldn't there have to be an exception for TW and FIGJAM to be Olympians, since they are pros?
The Olympics - on the U.S. side anyway - has traditionally been for amatuers, the exception : being basketball.
I have/had a problem with us sending NBAers to the Olympics.

The Olympics haven't been amateur-only in a long time.

Each sport decides whether they'll use pros or amateurs and the IOC wants pros in the big ticket sports. Golf will definitely not be an amateur event in 2016.

 

[Iron_chet]

7s is a really fan friendly game to watch compared to regular rugby. It also gives a country like Fiji a shot at a medal in a team sport.

Good call by the IOC.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

7s will be a hit in the Olympics.

Pun intended?

Happy accident. I was talking fan interest and TV ratings.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Wouldn't there have to be an exception for TW and FIGJAM to be Olympians, since they are pros?
The Olympics - on the U.S. side anyway - has traditionally been for amatuers, the exception : being basketball.
I have/had a problem with us sending NBAers to the Olympics.

The Olympics haven't been amateur-only in a long time.

Each sport decides whether they'll use pros or amateurs and the IOC wants pros in the big ticket sports. Golf will definitely not be an amateur event in 2016.

Yeah you're right. I just don't pay that much attention to the Olympics anymore.

 

[BTExpress]

Tennis at the Olympics sucks...

The hell it does. It's the only major Elena Dementieva has won. :-* :-* :-*

 

[playthrough]

What, the World Golf Championships aren't a global competition? :

Olympic golf would pretty much suck. All the usual suspects plus some guy from the Congo who will shoot 150 for 18 holes, with NBC running a puff piece about how he trained with a stick in the jungle and dreamed of representing his country.

 

[Armchair_QB]

What, the World Golf Championships aren't a global competition? :

Olympic golf would pretty much suck. All the usual suspects plus some guy from the Congo who will shoot 150 for 18 holes, with NBC running a puff piece about how he trained with a stick in the jungle and dreamed of representing his country.

Yeah, it's not like NBC is going to tie up one of its 15 Olympic channels all day to show golf during the Games.

BTW, here is the IGF website: http://www.internationalgolffederation.org/

I didn't realize it was basically an offshoot of the USGA.

 

[playthrough]

But how will they address slow play? [/crossthread]

 

[Armchair_QB]

Golf format will be just like a PGA or LPGA event. Four day, 72-hole tournament for both men and women. 60 golfers for each event.

Rugby will be a 12-team tournament for both men and women.

That will add 508 athletes to the 2016 games.

 

[friend of the friendless]

Sirs, Madames,

The pressure is on Mike Weir ... Canadians are undefeated against Americans in Olympic golf tournaments.

http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ly/george-lyon-1.html

Our Canuck Eldrick.

Fore, eh etc

 

[RagingCanuck]

I doubt it'll be up to Weir at that point - he'll be 46 at the 2016 Games. For that matter, Tiger will be 40. Vijay will be 53.

 

[friend of the friendless]

Mr Canuck,

Read the fine print: George Lyon was 45 when he won Olympic gold. Everyone knows the Olympics is an old man's golf tournament. Personally, I think a Chinese golfer will win--or maybe Kim Jong Il.

o-<